• Venue: National Aquatics Center
• Location: Olympic Green
• Use during Olympic Games: Athletics, Football
• Post-Games use:Swimming, Diving, Synchronized Swimming
• Total land surface: 65,000-80,000 sq m
• seats: 6,000 permanent and 11,000 temporary
• Groundbreaking date: Dec. 24, 2003

Swimming

"My will to live completely overcame my desire to win."

That was the reaction of 19-year-old Hungarian Alfred Hajos after he won the 1200 metres freestyle at the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. He won by being the first swimmer to reach shore after a boat had left everyone in the icy waters of the Mediterranean.

Olympic swimming has come a long way, to temperature-controlled 50-metre pools, wave-killing gutters, lane markers designed to reduce turbulence, and status as one of the Games' glamour events. It is far removed from those early days.

There were the venues, from the Bay of Zea in 1896, to Paris's River Seine in 1900, to a 100-metre pool constructed inside the athletics track in 1908. Then there were the events, from a 100-metre race for Greek sailors in 1896, to underwater and obstacle races in 1900, to a "plunge for distance" in 1908. That event involved a standing dive, with contestants then remaining motionless for 60 seconds, or until their heads broke the surface - whichever came first.

• Women's swimming events became a regular part of the Olympic Games in 1912, and men and women now compete in 16 events each. The programme involves four different strokes across a range of distances.
• Freestyle races cover 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1500, 10 000 metres. The 800m is for women only, the 1500m for men only. The butterfly, backstroke and breaststroke races each cover 100 and 200 metres. All four strokes are used in the 200m and 400m individual medley events.
• The 4 x 100m freestyle, 4 x 200m freestyle and 4 x 100m medley relays complete the programme.

Each race has a maximum of eight swimmers. Preliminary heats in the 50m, 100m and 200m lead to semi-finals and finals based on the fastest times. In relays and individual events of 400 metres or more, the eight fastest finishers in the preliminaries advance directly to the finals.The swimming event of the 29th Olympic Games will be held at the National Aquatics Center in the Olympic Green from August 9-24, 2008

Diving

Almost a century ago, "fancy diving" entered the Olympic Games as a new event. It was simply diving, as we know it today, and indeed, the 1996 programme did not change a blink from the 1924 programme. Now here comes some truly fancy diving: synchronised diving, or diving in pairs, which was introduced in the Sydney 2000 Games, doubling the programme in more than one way. The traditional men's and women's 10-metre platform and three-metre springboard diving events were repeated for the synchronised portion, with judges assessing both individual dives and synchronisation.

Diving developed in Europe in the 17th century, when gymnasts practised their acrobatics over water. Combining artistry and athleticism with undeniable courage - platform divers hit the water at about 55km/h - diving ranks among the Olympic Games' most exhilarating events. In 1988, Greg Louganis of the United States, arguably the greatest Olympic diver in history, cracked his head on the springboard while attempting a reverse 2.5 pike. After receiving stitches, Louganis won gold in both men's events.

• Competitors perform a series of dives and are awarded points up to 10, depending upon their elegance and skill. The points are then adjusted for the degree of difficulty, based on the number and types of manoeuvres attempted, such as somersaults, pikes, tucks and twists. A reverse 1.5 somersault with 3.5 twists, for example, is among the most difficult.

A panel of seven judges traditionally scores a dive, judging such elements as approach, take-off, execution and entry into the water. Nine judges assess synchronised diving. Four judge the execution of individual dives, and five assess synchronisation - how the pairs mirror height, distance from the springboard or platform, speed of rotation and entry into the water.The diving competition will be held at the National Aquatics Center in the Olympic Green.

Synchronized Swimming

Athens, 27 August 2004, Games of the XXVIII Olympiad. Synchronized swimming: Team Russia competes in the team free routine event at the Olympic Aquatic Centre. Credit: Getty Images/Daniel Berehulak.It looks like perhaps the most effortless event in the Olympic Games, but there is more to synchronised swimming than what appears on the surface. Besides demanding strength, endurance, flexibility, grace and artistry, it requires exceptional breath control.

Unusual, but vital, equipment helps the women maintain the illusion of effortlessness, no simple task considering they perform strenuous movements upside down and underwater while holding their breath. A nose clip prevents water from entering the nose, allowing the swimmers to remain underwater for long periods. Gelatine keeps the hair in place. Make-up brings out the features.

Most importantly, an underwater speaker lets the swimmers hear the music clearly while underwater, helping them achieve the split-second timing critical to synchronised swimming.

Originally known as water ballet, synchronised swimming began in Canada in the 1920s. It spread to the United States in the early '30s, where a display at the 1934 Chicago World's Fair drew rave reviews. Its popularity soared further when Esther Williams performed in a string of MGM "aqua musicals" in the 1940s and '50s.The synchronized swimming competition will be held at the National Aquatics Center in the Olympic Green.